HITCH (**)
What on Earth happened to this movie? For two-thirds of its running time, it develops two sweet romances, but then plummets into an ungainly third act. All of its charms and chemistry are sacrificed for a horrible denouement. I hate it when a movie holds my attention, only to jerk me around in the end.
The movie in question is HITCH, a romantic comedy extolling the exploits of Alex ‘Hitch’ Hitchens (Will Smith), a dating consultant who helps his male clients take the first steps into romance. His prized project is Albert Brennaman (Kevin James of the sitcom KING OF QUEENS), a bumbling but adorable accountant who is head over heels in love for his firm’s favored patron, heiress Allegra Cole (Amber Valleta).
Some of the movie’s funniest scenes involve Hitch’s instructions to Albert, especially those involving kissing and dancing. And I have to admit that Mr. James gyrations belong on a “dancing wall of shame fame”, along with Hugh Grant’s boogying as a British Prime Minister in LOVE ACTUALLY, and the entire cast of THE FULL MONTY strip-teasing. Is there anything funnier than seeing a guy who can’t dance, dance?
While Hitch imparts his lessons, he also becomes interested in Sara Melas (Eva Mendes), a gossip reporter for the local paper. She is gorgeous, cynical, and highly intelligent. Hence, just what the movie needs to showcase Hitch’s talents. And indeed it does, in some of the more creative dating initiations in past few years. Their first outing is an impressive one, tailored specifically for her adventurous and intellectual capacity. And their first conversation is a sharp-witted wonder.
The movie is predictable, and likes to show good-hearted men wooing attractive women out of their league. It also dishes out truisms on women and dating that can all be nicely summed up in four words: Be presentable and honest. But these aspects didn’t bother me. I enjoyed in the creativity of its trysts and the persuasive presentation of Hitch’s methods. Anything can be sold as long as it is shown convincingly.
There is one particular scene where Sara takes Hitch home to recover after his food allergy (the one we’ve all seen in the trailer). In it, we sense their vulnerability and attraction, where one risks letting a secret be known, since that person is falling for the other. It is a touching setting that leads to the movie’s most radiant and moving moment.
Then the unthinkable happens, a plot device, one that can be seen miles away the moment we know Sara’s occupation, comes into play. How unfair it is for me to invest such empathy into Will Smith and Eva Mendes, who have terrific chemistry (the likes I haven’t seen since Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant in NOTTING HILL), only to be returned with plot ineptitude. Misunderstandings than can be cleared up in a few minutes with levelheaded conversations are replaced by stratagems, speeches, and schmaltz. It’s as if everyone had left the plane of reason and had dived headfirst into mush.
Will Smith is in top form every time his characters are charming and kind, not when he plays loudmouth macho braggarts (e.g. BAD BOYS 2), and his is the key to the film’s success, grounding it in credibility and sympathy. Eva Mendes finally has a worthwhile character with refreshing spunk and smarts. With Mr. Smith, both of them have outstanding interplay. Kevin James is very funny as Albert and aside from his physical antics, has the movie’s cutest inhaler-related scenes.
HITCH kind of reminds me of A WALK TO REMEMBER in one respect. There is one point both films where if it had ended would have made them just right. If you find that spot (the most loving moment that I spoke of earlier), leave the theater and spare yourself all the maddening irritations that its last act generates. Doing so will leave the film much better than it is.